How to add a simple product in Magento 2

Key takeaways

• A simple product in Magento 2 is a standalone product with one SKU.
• Simple products work best for items without required size or color variations.
• Configurable, grouped, and bundle products often use simple products as building blocks.
• To create one, add product details, inventory, categories, visibility, images, and descriptions, then save and test.

Magento 2 supports several advanced product types, including configurable, bundled, downloadable, and virtual products.

But one of the most versatile Magento product types is the simple product.

Simple products in Magento can exist as both standalone products and as a part of other product types such as grouped and configurable products. Thus, learning how to add simple products in Magento 2 is essential for Magento store owners.

This guide explains what a simple product is, when to use one, how it compares to other Magento product types, and how to create one in Magento 2 Admin.

What is a simple product in Magento 2?

A simple product in Magento 2 is a product type that exists without any variations. It’s associated with a single SKU in the inventory and can be sold individually or with another Magento product type, such as bundle products.

Examples include a book, mug, one-size accessory, replacement part, or a physical item sold as one SKU.

When should you use a simple product?

Use a simple product when the item has one SKU, one price, one inventory count, and no required customer-selected variations.

Simple product vs other Magento 2 product types

Simple products are foundational because they can stand alone or support more advanced product structures.

Before you create a simple product in Magento 2

Before adding a product, gather the basic information first. You’ll need the product name, SKU, price, quantity, stock status, category, product images or videos, short description, full description, tax class, visibility setting, and SEO details like URL key, meta title, and meta description.

If the product ships, you’ll also need its weight. If your store uses multiple inventory sources, confirm the correct source and quantity before publishing.

How to create a simple product in Magento 2

To add a simple product in Magento 2, log in to Admin and go to Catalog > Products. Click the arrow next to Add Product, then select Simple Product.

Step 1: Select the product type

Log in to the Magento store admin and navigate to Catalog > Products in the admin sidebar.

Expand the Add Product menu in the top-right corner, and select Simple Product from the dropdown options.

Step 2: Select an attribute set

On the New Product template page, expand the Attribute Set menu and choose the attribute set from the available options. If you haven’t configured attribute sets, proceed with the default option.

The attribute set controls which product fields appear in the form.

Step 3: Add required product information

Enter the information in the required fields marked with an asterisk, including product name, SKU, and price.

Use a unique SKU that is easy to manage for inventory, reporting, and fulfillment.

Switch the Enable Product toggle to No and click the Save button.

Keeping the product disabled while you finish setup helps prevent incomplete product pages from appearing on the storefront.

If you’re using a multi-store installation of Magento 2, assign the product to a Store View from the options in the upper-left menu. If you’re using a single store setup, you can use the default value.

Step 4: Update basic settings

Expand the Tax Class dropdown and assign a tax class to your product.

Add the amount of inventory available for the product in the Quantity field and set the Stock Status to In Stock. If stock isn’t available when adding products in Magento, you can set it to Out of Stock.

Add the weight of the product. Magento uses this information to calculate shipping during checkout.

Assign the product to a category from the Categories dropdown menu. If the category name doesn’t exist, you can add it using the New Category button.

Set the product visibility. You can leave it as the default option or select a value from the dropdown menu.

Use Catalog, Search when the simple product should appear on its own. Use Not Visible Individually when the simple product only supports another product type, such as a configurable product.

Select a value from the Country of Manufacture dropdown menu.

Step 5: Assign inventory sources

You can add inventory source information by clicking on the Assign Sources button in the Sources section. This section won’t be visible if you aren’t using multi-source inventory.

On the Assign Sources page, select from the available source options and click Done on the upper right corner to add the sources.

You can manage the status and quantity of the assigned sources by clicking on Advanced Inventory and setting Manage Stock to Yes. Once enabled, you can edit the Source Item Status, Quantity, and Notification Quantity.

Missing or incorrect inventory settings can keep a product from appearing as available on the storefront.

Step 6: Configure optional product settings

Optional settings can make the product page more useful for shoppers and search engines.

Content: Describe the product in the main product description section. Add a short description for RSS feeds here using the default WYSIWYG editor or the Magento Page Builder if you’re using Magento 2.4.3 or above.

Images and Videos: Add product images or videos in this section.

Related Products, Up-Sells, and Cross-Sells: You can add promotional product blocks to increase product visibility and boost sales here.

Search Engine Optimization: Edit the product URL key and metadata in this section.

Customizable Options: Add and import product customization options here.

Products in Websites: Add and remove the products from different websites here.

Design: Assign and unassign design changes using custom XML code here.

Gift Options: Provide your customers with the option to add a gift message during purchase and set the price in this section.

Step 7: Save and publish the product

After you’ve configured all the product information, switch the Enable Product toggle to Yes and click Save to publish the product to your store.

After saving, view the product on the storefront and confirm it appears where expected.

Required vs optional simple product fields

Required fields allow Magento to create the product. Strongly recommended fields help shoppers understand the product and help your catalog stay organized.

Customizable options for simple products

You can also use simple products with customizable options in Magento. These options let shoppers personalize a product without creating separate SKUs. They’re associated with the same SKU; however, shoppers can customize them using preset custom options at the time of purchase.

Customizable options can work well for simple add-ons, engraving, gift wrap, or other choices that do not need separate inventory tracking.

Use a configurable product instead when each option needs its own SKU or stock count.

Post-publish testing checklist

After saving the product, test the storefront experience.

Check that:

• The product page loads
• The product appears in the correct category
• The product appears in search, if applicable
• The price displays correctly
• Images load correctly
• Add to cart works
• Inventory status is correct
• Shipping and tax behavior work
• Mobile layout looks right
• Related products, upsells, or cross-sells appear if used

Simple products and Magento performance

Simple products are basic catalog items, but large catalogs can still affect performance through images, search, indexing, cache, product relationships, and inventory data.

Clean catalog setup, optimized images, accurate inventory, and reliable Magento hosting can help your store perform better as the product catalog grows.

Magento 2 simple products FAQs

Getting started with Magento 2 simple products

Simple products are one of the most important Magento product types because they can stand alone or support more advanced product structures.

Start by gathering the product name, SKU, price, inventory, category, images, and description. Then create the product in Catalog > Products and test it on the storefront.

Magento catalogs work best when product data, inventory, images, caching, indexing, and hosting all support a smooth shopping experience. Explore Liquid Web Magento hosting for infrastructure built to help Magento stores perform with confidence.

Related resources

• The Definitive Guide to Magento 2 Optimization
• 5 Tips for Magento Website Speed Optimization
• Four Ways We Make Your Magento Store Faster
• Get the Best of Magento & WordPress with FishPig
• Connecting Your Magento Store to Social Media

Maddy Osman